PORTALE DELLA DIDATTICA

PORTALE DELLA DIDATTICA

PORTALE DELLA DIDATTICA

Elenco notifiche



Future of Work (Global Challenges - Technology and Humanity)

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A.A. 2026/27

Course Language

Inglese

Degree programme(s)

1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Informatica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Meccanica (Mechanical Engineering) - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Design E Comunicazione - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Dell'Autoveicolo (Automotive Engineering) - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Informatica (Computer Engineering) - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Dell'Autoveicolo - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Electronic And Communications Engineering (Ingegneria Elettronica E Delle Comunicazioni) - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Dei Materiali - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Elettrica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Aerospaziale - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Biomedica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Chimica E Alimentare - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Civile - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Edile - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Energetica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Meccanica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Per L'Ambiente E Il Territorio - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Matematica Per L'Ingegneria - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Elettronica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Fisica - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Del Cinema E Dei Mezzi Di Comunicazione - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Gestionale - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Ingegneria Gestionale - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Pianificazione Territoriale, Urbanistica E Paesaggistico-Ambientale - Torino
1st degree and Bachelor-level of the Bologna process in Civil And Environmental Engineering - Torino

Course structure
Teaching Hours
Lecturers
Teacher Status SSD h.Les h.Ex h.Lab h.Tut Years teaching
Co-lectures
Espandi

Context
SSD CFU Activities Area context
*** N/A ***
ING-IND/35
ING-INF/05
SPS/04
1,2
1,2
2,4
1,2
D - A scelta dello studente
D - A scelta dello studente
D - A scelta dello studente
D - A scelta dello studente
A scelta dello studente
A scelta dello studente
A scelta dello studente
A scelta dello studente
2024/25
Technology always plays a key role in the great challenges that are currently facing humanity. Talking about digital, energy, mobility, climate, health, or humanity in general, technology is mostly at the core. However, nowadays challenges cannot be reduced to mere technical data, either analyzing or designing possible solutions. To comprehend and face them successfully, all forms of knowledge are essential, from the techno-scientific field to the human, social and artistic ones. The “Big Challenges” courses are an opportunity to examine with an interdisciplinary lens relevant topics concerning humanity, focusing on technology and its key role in human living. In this framework, all the courses will address the UN Sustainable Development Goals, a global initiative aimed at renewing local and international policy. Each new wave of technological innovation radically transforms the world of work: new occupations emerge while others become obsolete. The organization of both work and workplaces change following transformations in the production processes of goods and services. The new wave of innovation and the diffusion of its technologies have been defined as the *4\ th Industrial Revolution*. What exactly is happening today? And what may happen in the near future? Who are the winners and losers of technological transitions? Which inequalities between individuals, professions, genders, and territories are likely to be brought about by such a technological change? Which ones may be reduced by it? The course shows how the world of work is transforming and, in part, has already transformed, due to the recent technological advances, such as the widespread use of Artificial Intelligence, also referencing the trends that may have emerged after the pandemic.
Knowledge of UN SDGs. Understanding of the processes constituting the given global challenges (environmental costs, circular health, ecosystem services and biodiversity, technological solutions). Acquisition of the basic elements of the scientific method (falsifiability, repeatability, models, science dissemination). General knowledge of major technical elements related to the challenge “Technologies and Humanity”. At the end of the course, students will be able to: - Analyze different scenarios on the future of work in the field of Artificial Intelligence, automation and the fourth industrial revolution, evaluating opportunities and challenges. - Formulate forecasts on the evolution of phenomena exploiting: - Their high-level understanding of the technology involved and ability to estimate which developments are more or less plausible in the near future. - Their knowledge of the main theories that describe social and economic consequences of technological change (labour economics, management and economics of innovation, comparative political economy, social policy, and decision sciences). - Their ability to suggest how these transformations might be governed and which policies might be adopted to favour a balanced transition, guaranteeing technological progress, economic growth, and social cohesion.
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A first introduction to all the “Big Challenges” courses (11.5 hours) will consist of: - The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - Four samples of global challenges needing an integrated approach: 1) Climate Change and the definition of Anthropocene; 2) One Health (i.e.: pandemics and ecology); 3) Biodiversity crisis (Sixth Extinction model); 4) Beyond Problem Solving: global crisis and the evolution of technologies. The specific challenge of Technologies and Humanity will then be detailed analyzing the technical elements of greatest social relevance (3 hours). The following 24 hours of lectures will touch on the following topics: - The differences and similarities between the various industrial revolutions, with particular stress on the comparison between the third (information revolution) and the fourth (digital revolution), characterized by the use of artificial intelligence, big data, machine learning and the internet of things. - The differences between the various dimensions of recent technologies: artificial intelligence, computational intelligence, machine learning, etc. - The meaning of “Artificial Intelligence” and how, despite the enthusiasm of mainstream media, such “intelligent processes” are nothing more than the result of simple numerical optimizations. - The main trends in the field of Machine Learning and the more active fields of research. - How the organization of production processes is changing as a consequence of technological change and new opportunities. - The effects the recent technological innovations have on various dimensions of work (employment, wages, quality and nature), evaluating both the economic convenience and social and political acceptability of such changes. - The role of policies in mediating technological change's disruptive effects or diffusing empowering and enabling technologies throughout society. - How to use Artificial Intelligence as a tool in decision-making while leaving the final choice and its responsibility to humans. Where AI-based technologies are complementary and where a substitute for human decision-making processes. Models of collaboration and specialization between man and machine/algorithm. - Are there more reasons to be optimistic or to be pessimistic about the next “revolution”? Students will also have to carry out a project structured as follows. The instructors will identify some macro themes relating to the current and potential impact of technological change on certain areas of the economy and society. Students will be divided into groups of about 6. Each group will tackle a macro-theme and, under the guidance of the instructors, elaborate scenarios according to the specific inclinations of the students, including the analysis of the phenomenon and its context, its socio-economic impact and the possible public policy responses. The instructors may involve experts available to meet the groups to share expertise, visions, and experiences. The project work shall include meetings with the entire class and the groups during class time. Additional work will be carried out by groups and individuals outside of class hours. Each group is requested to prepare a short video, which will be made available to the class and evaluated. Selected videos will get additional points. In addition, each student is requested to submit a report detailing their individual contribution in carrying out the group project.
Out of 60 hours of teaching, 20% will be common to the “Big Challenges” courses and the specific challenge Technologies and Humanity; 40% will be devoted to lectures; 40% to the development of a project. Whenever possible, the lectures will be held by the three teachers together to stimulate an interdisciplinary debate. For the project work, students will be divided into groups of about 6 and will have to develop scenarios in one of the macro-themes suggested by the instructors, analyzing pre-conditions, outcomes and responses to technologies introduction.
The bibliography for the part common to all "Big Challenges" courses is defined at the University level as follows: Books: - Jared Diamond, 1997, Armi, acciaio e malattie, Einaudi, Torino, 1998 (+ nuove edizioni) - Simon L. Lewis, Mark A. Maslin, 2018, Il pianeta umano, Einaudi, Torino, 2019. Articles: - David Morens, Anthony Fauci, 2020, "Emerging Pandemic Diseases: How We Got to COVID-19", in Cell, 182: 1077-1092. - Emily Elhacham, Liad Ben-Uri, Jonathan Grozovski, Yinon M. Bar-On & Ron Milo, 2020, "Global human-made mass exceeds all living biomass", in Nature, 588: 442-444. The bibliography for the part common to all courses addressing the Technologies and Humanity challenge will be defined at the University level. The instructors will indicate the bibliography for the theoretical part of the Future of Work course during the course. Any bibliography for carrying out the projects will be suggested directly to the students involved.
Exam:
The overall grade is the weighted average of three components: - General part, common to all Big Challenges courses and the specific Technologies and Humanity challenge (20%) - Specific topics discussed during lectures (40%) - Project (40%) To pass the exam, the students must score at least 18/30 in each of the three components. The part related to Big Challenges and the specific Technologies and Humanity challenge is evaluated through closed questions. The part related to lectures is evaluated with a 60-minute written test, where students are asked to answer both closed and open questions. The evaluation of the project considers both the short video created by the group and the individual contribution to the project, as evidenced by the individual report. Members of groups whose videos have been selected will get additional points.
In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.
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